1. MRC Fellowship Opportunities
Dr Jo Latimer
Programme Manager

2. Plan of Talk Background about MRC Next Steps of MRC Funding
Fellowships
Research Grants
Tips on writing good applications
Assessment of Fellowships

3. Medical Research Council
Established in 1913 and is one of seven Research Councils who come under the umbrella of RCUK
Funded mainly by Government (accountable to Parliament, reports to DIUS)
Independent in deciding which research to support
In 2005/06, the MRC spent >£560 million on research and training support in our institutes, units and universities
RCUK, Research Councils UK;DIUS, Department of Innovations, Universities and Skills

4. Our Mission
Encourage and support high quality research with the aim of maintaining and improving human health
Produce skilled researchers, and to advance and disseminate knowledge and technology to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness in the UK
To promote dialogue with the public about medical research

5. Fellowships & Research Grants

6. Opportunities for Non-Clinical Scientists
Grant Opportunities
Non Clinical Appointment
Fellowship Opportunities
PhD student
Studentships via
Doctoral Training
Account
Research Assistant
Post on Grant
Post-Doc 1
Intermediate Awards Career Development
Post-Doc 2(+)
New Investigator Awards
Lecturer
Senior Fellowships
Readership
Research Grants
Professorship

7. Opportunities for Clinical Scientists
NHS Clinical Career Pathway
MRC Provision
(Clinical Fellowships)
Clinical
Academic
Career Path
MRC Provision (Grants)
Clinical Research Training Fellowship
MD or PhD
Lecturer
Clinician Scientist
Fellowship
New Investigator Research Awards
Senior lecturer
Research Grants /
Collaboration grants
Senior Clinical
Fellowships
Professor

8. Opportunities for Clinical Scientists
INTEGRATED ACADEMIC TRAINING PATH
Foundation
Programme
Specialist Training
Academic
Position
Medical
School
CCT MB
Intercalated
BSc /
PhD
Graduate
Entry
Training
Foundation Year F 1 2
Status
Clinical
Fellowship
Lectureship
Senior Lecturer
Further specialty
sub -
specialty
training
Senior Clinical
The timings of personal fellowships are indicative –
there is flexibility according to individual career progression 3 4 5
MRC
Research
years
Clinician
Scientist
up to (

9. Opportunities for Allied Health Professionals
Nurses, midwives, radiographers, psychologists, other AHPs
Masters degree or equivalent postgraduate research-oriented qualification
PhD, DPhil, MD
ELIGIBLE
FOR
ELIGIBLE
FOR
Health Services and Health of the Public Fellowship
Clinical Research Training Fellowship
Health Services and Health of the Public Fellowship OR
Clinician Scientist Fellowship/
Career Development Award
Senior Clinical/Non-Clinical Fellowship
PhD, DPhil, MD

10. Summary Clinical Non-Clinical PhD training
Clinical Research Training Fellowship
PhD studentship
Post-doctoral training
Clinician Scientist Fellowship
Career Development Award
Established investigator
Senior Clinical Fellowship
Senior Fellowship

11. Fellowships: Pre- to post-doctoral Awards
Research training towards a PhD for clinical scientists or post-doctoral research training for non-clinical scientists
Clinical Research Training Fellowships
Health Services and Health Of The Public Research Fellowships

12. Fellowships: Intermediate Awards
Post-doctoral/further post-doctoral experience consolidation of skills. Transition from postdoctoral researcher to independent investigator
Clinician Scientist Fellowship
Open to medical & dental graduates up to Consultant grade, nurses, midwives and other health profession researchers
Joint Collaborative Career Development Award in Stem Cell Research
Open to clinical & non-clinical applicants
Career Development Award in Biostatistics
Open to non-clinical post-doctoral researchers
Career Development Award
Department Of Health Clinician Scientist Award
Open to medical & dental graduates up to Special Registrar grade, nurses, midwives and other health profession researchers

13. Senior Clinical Fellowship Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship
Fellowships: Senior Awards
Awards for independent scientist/team leaders: national/international recognition
Senior Clinical Fellowship
Open to medical & dental graduates up to Consultant grade, nurses, midwives and other health profession researchers
Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship
Open to non-clinical post-doctoral researchers, nurses and other health profession researchers

14. Award Support for Intermediate/Senior
Personal salary
Research support for staff
Research expenses
Travel allowance
Capital equipment
Up to one year in research centre overseas/2nd UK Centre/UK Industrial Training (2 years for CDA)

15. Features of MRC Fellowship Awards
No age limits
Can return from a career break
Awards can be held part time
Support for maternity/sick leave
Procedures are designed to minimise discrimination

16. New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG)
Applicants are expected to be at the beginning of their independent research careers. They will:
have a PhD, D Phil or an MD
have institutional support
have a minimum of three years post qualification research experience (account will be taken of career breaks)
be within three years of the start of their first established academic appointment (or within five years for clinicians and this may be at Senior Lecturer level)
be in a senior post doctoral position taking their first steps towards establishing themselves as an independent principal investigator
receive funds for three years including: Salary of the principal investigator where they do not hold a tenured position; Support for an additional research, technical or other post; consumables; equipment; travel costs.

17. What makes a good application?
What might cause an application to fail?

18. Elements of successful proposals:
Emphasis on track record for established investigators /potential for early career investigators
Need a clear rationale for the research - less detail about long-term experimental plans i.e.
Clarity & Succinctness key
Methodology - Preliminary Data
Collaborations
Look at recent quality of work & productivity
Quality of proposed training environment
High-risk/high pay-off research encouraged

19. An application will fail because:
Lack of good track record/publication record
Applicant’s lack of appropriate experience
Unfocused, overambitious project
No clear hypothesis, or not hypothesis-driven
Methodology not sufficiently detailed
Project not intellectually challenging
Training element incomplete/unclear
Unoriginal, pedestrian approach
Centre has no international standing in research area
Lack of infrastructure/facilities in training environment

20. Seeking another centre:
Demonstrates applicant is looking for breadth of research experience
Should look for a centre:
offering good career development and research training opportunities
which is the most appropriate for the applicant’s particular research area
If applicant needs to remain where they are:
Should spell out reasons for this
Explain what additional training they will gain if they stay

21. Assessment Procedure

22. Assessment of Fellowships
The Process:
Referees
Shortlisting
Panel Interview

23. The Interview Led by designated panel members
Collecting evidence against key criteria
Questioning by other panel members
Private scoring and discussion
Review of final ranking, including strategic importance of the area for training

24. Assessment of Fellowships
Potential of the individual - to develop into a competitive researcher
Quality of the environment
Quality of the training proposed
Relevance / value of any proposed period overseas or in industry

25. Fellowship Applications vs. Awards

26. Where to Start?

27. Information on Fellowships

28. Thank you! Contacts General Enquiries fellows@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
Scientific queries via Programme Managers
Details on MRC web-site under each Research Board (
TheResearchBoards/index.htm)
Post Award Administration
(award letters, payments & queries)